# We Bought Our Gravestone

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/food-for-thought-with-colleen-patrick-goudreau-690262/we-bought-our-gravestone
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/food-for-thought-with-colleen-patrick-goudreau-690262/we-bought-our-gravestone.md
Podcast: [Food for Thought with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau](https://stenobird.com/podcast/food-for-thought-with-colleen-patrick-goudreau-690262)
Published: 2026-05-09T15:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.colleenpatrickgoudreau.com/p/we-bought-our-gravestone
Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/197014242/730c8f2d26ae0b0b26f5051f4f1cd210.mp3
Processing state: processed
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/food-for-thought-with-colleen-patrick-goudreau-690262/episodes/we-bought-our-gravestone
Duration seconds: 3045

## Resource

The concept of memento mori —remembering that we are mortal—is often viewed as morbid or macabre. But for those who embrace it, acknowledging the brevity of life isn’t about dwelling on the end; it’s about celebrating every single moment we have. In this episode, I share a very personal journey that has been years in the making: the process of choosing a final resting place and designing a gravestone for my mother, my husband David, and myself. From the historic hills of Oakland’s Mountain View Cemetery to the granite peaks of the Sierra Nevadas, this story is about more than just logistics—it’s about values, intentionality, and the peace that comes with being prepared. Whether it’s establishing a plan for companion animals or choosing local, sustainable materials for a memorial, we explore how end-of-life decisions are ultimately for the living. It is a gift of clarity for those we leave behind and a final opportunity to express the passions—from wildlife gardening to music—that define our “one wild and precious life.” In this episode you will learn: * How acknowledging our “expiry date” can lead to a more joyful, grateful, and purposeful daily life. * Why having wills, trusts, and even “house-sitter instructions” for death makes the grieving process easier for survivors. * The environmental differences between traditional fire-based cremation and “green” water-based alkaline hydrolysis. * Why we moved away from a remote “green forest” burial in favor of a historic, local cemetery we visit and love. * My six-year journey to overcome the “paralysis” of designing a memorial and why we chose native California granite over imported stone. * A sneak peek into the symbols and inscriptions—from Puccini lyrics to Mary Oliver quotes—that will represent our lives and our loves.…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/food-for-thought-with-colleen-patrick-goudreau-690262/episodes/we-bought-our-gravestone/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/food-for-thought-with-colleen-patrick-goudreau-690262/we-bought-our-gravestone.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.